Noise eliminators for luminaires



H. A. VAN DUSEN, JR 2,878,429

NOISE ELIMINATORS FOR LUMINAIRES March 17, 1959 Filed April 10. 1957 Fa a.

Fae. 3

\uvamoa HARoLo ANAN Dusemdn.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,878,429 NOISE ELIMINATORS FOR LUMINAIRES Harold A. Van Dusen, Jr., South Milwaukee, Wis., as-

slgnor to McGraw-Edison Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application April 10, 1957, Serial No. 651,910 3 Claims. (Cl. 317-99) This invention relates to noise eliminators for mercury vapor luminaires.

In mercury vapor lighting systems, for example where a plurality of luminaires are connected in series and also in systems where these luminaires are connected in parallel, it has been found that there is a considerable amount of electrical disturbance produced by the mercury vapor lamps. This disturbance is commonly referred to as radio noise or noise and will be so referred to hereinafter.

Attempts have been made to eliminate these noises or disturbances but these attempts have involved the placing of a condenser or capacitor across the terminals of a luminaire. However, space is at a premium in luminaires as at present constructed, and it has been diflicult to find a place where a condenser could be placed and connected to the terminals of the mercury vapor luminaire. In addition to this there is a large amount of heat to which these devices must be subjected if they are mounted within the luminaires.

Objects of this invention are to provide a noise suppressing assembly or unit for luminaires, which consists of a physically small capacitor which is located within the luminaire and placed directly between, and electrically connected to the prongs of the socket of the lamp so as to occupy a minimum of space and to necessitate no change in the construction of the luminaire.

Further objects of this invention are to provide a capacitor which is of small physical size and which has a pair of electrical connecting devices forming a unitary portion of the noise suppressing unit and which are so constructed and formed that the connecting devices constitute not only the terminals of the noise suppressing unit but also constitute means for mechanically holding the noise suppressing unit in place between the bayonet prongs of the socket of the mercury vapor lamp.

Further objects are to provide a construction which is mounted directly within the luminaire and very firmly held in place under normal operating conditions. Specifically, objects of the invention are to provide a noise suppressing unit for luminaires in which a capacitor is positioned between spring contact plates so arranged that they are connected directly to the terminals of the capacitor and have pointed ends which dig into the bayonet prongs of the socket of the lamp thereby allowing the device to be positioned between the prongs without requiring any additional fastening means such as bolts or screws or other means, but which form very secure mechanical attaching means as well as electrical terminals for the noise suppressing unit.

Further objects are to provide a construction which may be applied to existing types of luminaries after they have been installed, and which may be quickly positioned or quickly removed as desired and which are cheap and simple and easy to produce.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Patented Mar. 17, 1959 Figure l is a view of the rear portion of the lamp socket of the luminaire.

Figure 2 is a side view, partly broken away, of the socket.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of the noise suppressing unit.

Figure 4 is an end view of the noise suppressing unit.

Figure 5 is a view of an element of the noise suppressing unit.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings it will be seen that a portion of the luminaire has been illustrated. The lamp receiving socket portion is indicated generally by the reference character 1 and the mercury vapor lamp by the reference character 2. The lamp socket is provided with a pair of contact blades or bayonet prongs 3 which are received between the stationary contacts 4 of the luminaire, see Figure 2.

It will be seen that the bayonet prongs or blades 3 are provided with rigid parallel portions 5 which are rigidly secured, by means of their outwardly turned flanges 6 to the rear of the lamp socket 1. They are also provided with inwardly tapered opposed portions 7 which terminate in closely spaced end portions 8 between which a film cutout or other cutout 9 is held in the usual manner.

The noise suppressing unit or radio noise suppressing unit is indicated generally by the reference character 10 and it consists of a small capacitor or condenser 11 preferably of rectangular construction to which a pair of spring clips 12 are secured in any suitable way.

The spring clips 12 are made from flat sheet metal and have tapered pointed ends 13 which are bent upwardly as shown in Figure 5 and have central portions which bear directly on opposite sides of the capacitor 11.

An end portion of each clip 12 is provided with a hole 14 which receives a pigtail or conducting terminal 15 of the capacitor and these conducting terminals of the capacitor are soldered in place after being passed through the holes 14 by means of a small amount of solder indicated at 16.

The spring clips 12 are held in place in any suitable manner. A very convenient way of holding them in place is by a wrapping of a heat resisting tape 17 around the assembly of spring clips 12 and capacitor 11. This tape is commonly known as Cohrlastic Temp-a-Tape." Any other suitable means may be used as desired to hold the spring clips in position rigidly on the capacitor 11.

In the particular installation used, the capacitor was 0.1 rnfd. and was capable of withstanding 600 volts D. C. The capacitor was commonly known by the trade name Epicon.

These figures and this designation of the tape and capacitor are used merely as illustrations and in no way are intended as limiting the invention as other materials and other types of capacitors could be used though that shown and described has been found highly satisfactory.

In using the noise suppressing unit it is forced in between the rigid parallel spaced portions 5 of the bayonet blades or prongs 3 of the movable portion of the luminaire as shown in Figure 1. The end portions of the spring clips 12 are bent inwardly as shown in Figure 1 and the points 13 dig into the parallel rigid spaced portions of the bayonet prongs. This provides not only a secure mechanical support for the noise suppressor unit but also electrically connects the terminals of the capacitor with the bayonet prongs. The capacitor therefore, it will be seen, is shunted across or connected in parallel with the mercury vapor lamp.

It will be seen that a very simple type of noise sup pressing unit has been provided which can be used in conjunction with the of the luminaire.

It will be seen further that no additional room or space is required for the noise suppressing unit as it is placed directly within the space between the rigid parallel portions of the bayonet prongs or terminals or movable contacts of the luminaire.

Also it is to be noted that there is no loosening of the grip or clamping action of the portions 8 of the bayonet prongs with reference to the film cutout 9 as the only portions of the bayonet prongs that contact the noise suppressor unit are the rigid portions and not the outer end portions of these bayonet prongs.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail it is to be understood that such description is intended as illustrative and not as limiting as the invention may be variously embodied and is to be interpreted as claimed.

1 claim:

1. In a luminaire, a socket having a pair of spaced contact prongs having rigid portions, a noise suppressing unit positioned directly between the rigid portions of said prongs and comprising a capacitor having termirials, and a pair of spring metal plates located on opposite sides of said capacitor and connected to the terminals thereof and each having ends arranged to dig into the inner surface of the rigid portions of the spaced prongs of said socket, said noise suppressing unit being supported by said spring metal plates.

2. In a luminaire, a socket for the reception of a lamp, said socket having a pair of spaced contact prongs, a noise suppressing unit located between said prongs and comprising a capacitor, a pair of spring metal plates bayonet prongs or terminal contacts having pointed ends and located on opposite sides of said capacitor, said pointed ends being arranged to dig into and bear against said contact prongs, said plates being electrically connected to the terminals of said capacitor, and binding means securing said plates to said capacitor, said noise suppressing unit being supported by said spring plates.

3. In a luminaire, a socket having spaced contact prongs, a noise suppressing unit positioned directly between said prongs and comprising a capacitor, a pair of spaced metal plates positioned on opposite sides of said capacitor, and an elongated securing means wrapped around said plates and capacitor and holding said plates in mechanical contact with opposite sides of said capacitor, said capacitor having terminals connected electrically to said plates, said plates being of spring metal and having pointed ends arranged to bear directly against and dig into the inner surfaces of said contact prongs to mechanically support the noise suppressing unit and to electrically connect said capacitor in bridging relation to said contact prongs, said noise suppressing unit being supported by said metal plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,611,182 Frasse Dec. 21, 1926 1,611,183 Frasse Dec. 21, 1926 1,717,701 Dubilier June 18, 1929 1,807,381 Butler May 26, 1931 2,069,633 Tripp Feb. 2, 1937 2,073,880 Robinson Mar. 16, 1937 2,583,189 Shewmon Jan. 22, 1952 2,811,674 Smith Oct. 29, 1957 

